Amjad Sheikh, a key suspect in the Burdwan blast case and allegedly a member of JMB
In yet another major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today arrested Amjad Sheikh, alleged to be a key member of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terror group, in connection with the Burdwan blast case.
Sheikh, alias Kajal, a resident of Birbhum district of West Bengal, is alleged to be the main suspect who used to procure material, meant for making improvised explosive devices, from open market.
The NIA said 30-year-old Sheikh was instrumental in procuring chemicals and providing these to other co-conspirators for making Improvised Explosive Devices.
This is the second major breakthrough after the arrest of Bangladeshi national Sajid, suspected mastermind of the October 2 blast, by West Bengal police near Kolkata airport on Saturday. Sajid is alleged to be the Chief Commander of JMB.
According to official sources, Sheikh was working with a Kolkata-based medical firm which deals with manufacturing of various sterilisation products. He used his employment with the firm for procuring many restricted acids including 'Picric acid' used for triggering an explosive device.
The NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs five lakh on information leading to Sheikh's arrest but later enhanced it to Rs 10 lakh.
Soon after the blasts, the NIA had raided his Kolkata house and recovered receipts and vouchers related to purchase of chemicals which were used in making the IEDs.
Investigation found that Sheikh was part of the top brass of JMB in India and after October 2 blast, he took shelter in New Delhi on October 8 and from there moved to Basti in Uttar Pradesh where he was provided shelter for a few days by a policeman.
Ultimately, he went back to West Bengal from where he was arrested today, NIA said.
Sheikh, who is the sixth person arrested in the case, is alleged to be closely associated with top JMB commanders who were running jihadi training modules in two madrassas of West Bengal.